GAME ON: Alabama's Julio Jones, Mark Ingram cleared to play

G.M. Andrews, Staff PhotographerAlabama's Julio Jones, above, and running back Mark Ingram, below, are eligible to play this Saturday night against Virginia Tech after a repayment of illegal benefits.

TUSCALOOSA -- After more than four months of interviews, deliberations and private consultations, the NCAA and University of Alabama reached a conclusion that will permit wide receiver Julio Jones and running back Mark Ingram to play Saturday night against Virginia Tech.

The NCAA said Wednesday night that the actions of Jones and Ingram constituted a rules violation. But it also said the two players would be "reinstated" upon repayment of illegal benefits.

Jones and Ingram have since made restitution and are eligible to play Saturday, the Press-Register has learned.

UA imposed no penalties in its self-initiated investigation, but turned over findings and ultimately was prompted to acknowledge a violation -- thus making Jones and Ingram ineligible until Wednesday night's ruling -- after multiple meetings with officials from the SEC and NCAA.

"We are gratified that this matter has been resolved," UA athletic director Mal Moore said. "Our compliance department, the SEC and the NCAA worked closely throughout this process and we appreciate the professional manner in which it was handled."

Word from the NCAA didn't come until around 7 p.m. Wednesday, ending a gut-wrenching wait for Alabama administrators, coaches and players.

Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban said less than an hour before the NCAA's response that he did not know what the outcome would be.

Alabama game-planned all preseason as if Jones and Ingram, two key offensive starters, would be available against Virginia Tech, the nation's seventh-ranked team.

Asked Wednesday morning if he would bench Jones and Ingram if an answer from the NCAA were not received by game time, Saban replied, "That is up to the NCAA. I don't think it's my decision to do anything. We are hoping for a response and we want to do what we need to do to do things the right way from a program standpoint and for the players' best interest."

John David Mercer, Staff PhotographerMark Ingram rushed for 728 yards and 12 touchdowns last season for the Crimson Tide.

Based on UA's findings, the NCAA determined that Jones and Ingram received "impermissible food, lodging, transportation and entertainment from an individual with whom one of the student-athletes had become acquainted prior to enrolling in college."

That individual is presumed to be Curtis Anderson, a 56-year-old resident of Athens who owns a condominium in Gulf Shores.

UA investigated whether Anderson broke NCAA rules by taking Jones and Ingram on a Gulf Coast fishing trip earlier this year. The school found that Anderson, a graduate of North Alabama, was "not affiliated with UA" and "not a UA booster, fan or season-ticket holder."

That left Bylaw 12.1.2.1.6 of the NCAA rulebook as the only question. It outlaws "Preferential treatment, benefits or services because of the individual's athletics reputation or skill or pay-back potential as a professional athlete. ... For violations of this bylaw in which the value of the benefit is $100 or less, the eligibility of the individual shall not be affected, conditioned on the individual repaying the value of the benefit to a charity of his or her choice."

Per Wednesday's NCAA statement, Jones and Ingram were to repay benefits to a charity in order to regain eligibility.

"During the reinstatement process," the NCAA's statement said, "the NCAA staff considers a number of factors including guidelines established by the NCAA Division I Committee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement, relevant case precedent, the student-athlete's responsibility for the violation, as well as any mitigating factors presented by the institution."

The university has told Anderson to sever ties with Jones and Ingram for the duration for their UA careers and instructed the players not to contact him.

Anderson, however, has claimed all along that his relationship with Jones and Ingram was not tied to football.

"I don't care anything about football and that's part of their love for me," Anderson said. "They're my friends. That's it."

Jones and Ingram, both members of Alabama's touted Class of 2008, are Alabama's most dangerous and proven offensive weapons. Jones led the team with 58 catches for 924 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman, while Ingram rushed for 728 yards and 12 touchdowns.